Go into it knowing that some things from the book will be change. That's just how it is for any book to movie adaptation. On its own merits this is a fantastic sci fi movie that I hope will do well enough for them to merit a sequel.

I do not know how they could make this movie with the blessing of the author of the book. This film looks as screenwriter snatched from the book every 20th page and then write idiotic ending. In this film there is only depleted Ender's story, no history of his family, none of the other characters - only prosthesis without own thoughts.

This is movie is wrongly classified as it actually family sci-fi movie, that way it would be 8 points or so, I'm sure many kids love it. But since it pretend to be a real sci-fi, I would say the story is very weak and worth 4 at the very best.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
As someone who went into the film with an open mind, not knowing what the film was about or having read the book I thought the film was not good. This film is basic a big pile of nothing due to the lack of depth, the presence of plot holes and other annoyances, this overrated adaptation is entirely forgettable. With bad dialogue, poorly written characters as well as a lack of development from then, I didn't care for the characters at all, and sadly, even a good cast couldn't save the film; Harrison Ford giving a wooden and stiff performance, surprisingly mediocre acting from Asa Butterfield, laughable acting from Ben Kingsley and other forgettable performances in the end, the only performance that is at least decent is Abigail Breslin, who is entirely underused in this film. The film is incredibly tedious and rather messy and filled with plot holes, and the make it worse there is plenty of unintentional hilarity as well as goofy and somewhat campy sci-fi elements. On the plus side of things, the visuals are certainly impressive and they work well with the film. In the end, Ender's Game is nothing but style over substance.*NOTE: Prepare for some spoilers* Due to the poorly written nature of the film, some of the more thought-provoking elements of the narrative as well as the "plot twists" remained ineffective and highly obvious throughout the entire film, especially when in the film Ender is shocked by his act of genocide when it was completely obvious for the characters and the audience the realise this prior. *NOTE: end of spoilers*.…Expand

A tame adaptation of the classic novel, and instead lowering its impact to get the teenage crowd. However, Ender's Game has always been geared towards adults and hence the problem. Some great performances by the leads but until the last 10 minutes or so, Ender's Game lost a lot of its punch. Too bad.

Solid acting but over-reliance on special effects and uneven pacing definitely take away from it. Things were going rather quickly in the first hour and came to a complete stop during the second, To the point where it was from rather interesting and entertaining to dreadfully boring. They easily could have cut the film down to an hour and a half and it would have been a far better film.Solid acting but over-reliance on special effects and uneven pacing definitely take away from it. Things were going rather quickly in the first hour and came to a complete stop during the second, To the point where it was from rather interesting and entertaining to dreadfully boring. They easily could have cut the film down to an hour and a half and it would have been a far better film.

Would I recommend it? Well, I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it but if someone already has it and wants to, Why not take a chance on it.…Expand

Never read the book, so I can only make a judgement based on the movie.

I actually liked this movie allot more than I thought I would. Clearly it tackles with some deep subjects, but they also feel a little rushed at times. The child actors are mostly pretty decent and Ford does a pretty good job too. A bit of a curiosity why Kingsley got top billing (or even how he got cast.) He reallyNever read the book, so I can only make a judgement based on the movie.

I actually liked this movie allot more than I thought I would. Clearly it tackles with some deep subjects, but they also feel a little rushed at times. The child actors are mostly pretty decent and Ford does a pretty good job too. A bit of a curiosity why Kingsley got top billing (or even how he got cast.) He really feels out of place, but even so, does a good job.

On the outside it feels a bit like a generic Sci-Fi movie, but it's not. At it's core it is something all its own.

Overall:
Ender's Game may not be the best Sci-Fi movie out there, but it is entertaining with some spectacular scenes. Well worth watching.…Expand

This is a film that looks good has solid performances, but takes itself way to serious. There is basically no humor or even a smile also the plot gets a little ridiculous. Overall it's highly forgettable. C

If you read (and liked) the book, you will likely be very disappointed by this movie. While adapting any book for a movie requires a lot of condensing, the script for this movie does a very poor job. Much of the emphasis in the book is in Ender's relationships with his fellow trainees, his family and with Graff. These are pivotal to his development as a commander, however it all feelsIf you read (and liked) the book, you will likely be very disappointed by this movie. While adapting any book for a movie requires a lot of condensing, the script for this movie does a very poor job. Much of the emphasis in the book is in Ender's relationships with his fellow trainees, his family and with Graff. These are pivotal to his development as a commander, however it all feels very rushed in the movie. There is almost no back story and no character development at all. The script leaves you with more empathy for the aliens then it does for any human character. Frankly, some of the scenes are so random and rushed through that if i hadn't read the book, i don't think i would have understood why they were even in the movie. Overall, one of the worst adaptations of a good book that I have seen in recent times. It is sad to see Orson Scott Card's book turned into such a travesty. I hope they at least paid him well for the privilege.…Expand

Let me preface this by saying that I am generally a fan of book to film conversions, especially when, as in this case, the author has had a hand in its production. I watched the Harry Potter films with a certain amount of glee knowing that its author had played a fairly integral part in bringing them to life, and it was with this in mind that I had been greatly anticipating seeing EnderLet me preface this by saying that I am generally a fan of book to film conversions, especially when, as in this case, the author has had a hand in its production. I watched the Harry Potter films with a certain amount of glee knowing that its author had played a fairly integral part in bringing them to life, and it was with this in mind that I had been greatly anticipating seeing Ender brought to life on the big screen.

I have read the entire Ender series dozens of times over the years, with each re-reading being as fulfilling as the first, so when I heard rumours that it was finally to be made in to a film I was overjoyed. Learning that Card himself was to play a part in its transformation was also pleasing news. Until that is I actually watched it.

Let me be plain here. I do not expect any book, especially one of the same caliber as Enders Game, to translate perfectly on to the silver screen. Conversely I did not expect this a conversion to be such a gigantic insult to the source material. Literally everything in this movie is a watered down, imbecilic simplification of the book. Any and all feeling of connection with Ender is stripped away in the first few minutes and it doesn't get any better from there on out.

For the sake of not posting spoilers for anyone who may not have seen the film yet (and I advise that you do not) I won't go in to any detail, but suffice to say that whatever it was about Cards original novel that allowed the reader to connect to its characters has been as thoroughly vaporized as the enemies ships. From almost the moment the film begins you are rushed through at a light speed pace, never getting time to understand the characters or their motivations nor their connections to one another. Ender as he appears in the novel was someone that many thousands of people grew attached to, felt a kinship with and that is something that was a core requirement of making this in to a film. They failed. Miserably. I no more connected with this version of Ender than I could connect with a toilet roll. He and all the supporting cast were as devoid of meaning and feeling as it is possible for any living being to be and the entire film became an exercise in tediousness. I can think of no worse fate for Ender than to have been mutilated, chewed up and spat out in the manner that this film done, shame on Card for allowing this and shame on the cretin who made it.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
First of all, let me say that I think this movie is OK as a stand-alone film. The acting is done decently well by most of the cast, and I liked what they did with the limited material that they had. Asa Butterfield does a decent enough job portraying Ender's emotion and his genius. I like Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Petra, but there isn't much conflict surrounding the character. Harrison Ford is good as Colonel Graff, but that's like saying that this chocolate tastes good, of course he's good, it's Harrison Ford. The Battle Room scenes are cool effects, which helped me out, as those scenes were difficult for me to imagine while reading. The way that it deals with the morality of warfare, manipulation, genocide, and repopulation do make it smarter than your average blockbuster.

Unfortunately, the film can never be a stand alone piece as it is an adaptation of an incredibly smart sci-fi novel, and is thus held to a higher standard. This is where the movie has its many, many failures. Now I understand that a movie has to be different from a book, as it needs to tell a 300+ page story in around two hours. However, when these changes serve to undermine the meaning or the themes of the source material, I start to get angry.

First and foremost, the characters are aged up to be into their adolescence, and the time period of the movie is squashed into the span of a year. I am perfectly aware of why they did this. Child actors make it incredibly difficult to make a good movie (ask Jake Lloyd), and to go through the course of the story, at least two actors would've had to play Ender and the other characters that age over the course of a six-year story. However, the absence of the longer timeframe takes away much of the impact, as in the book Ender lives literally half of his life under the thumb of Graff and the military. This largely undermines the impact of the child soldiering conversation raised by the novel. The relationship between Ender and Bean is broken, as Bean is the same age as Ender in the film version, removing the key dynamic of the characters.

One of the key forces that defines Ender in the book is his continuing isolation, first from Valentine, then from the Launchies, then from the friends he made at Battle School. Graff says his line directly from the book about this, and successfully does this on the shuttle. However, after Ender wins his battle with Bernard (in a far less clever way, mind you), he is accepted by the battle school. After Ender is named commander, however, he never has the estrangement from his soldiers that he does in the book. They simply enjoy having Ender (who they all like and respect), as their commanding officer, without any change in his relationships. Ender never faces Petra or Alai in battle, forcing him to destroy, humiliate, and therefore alienate them. They simply both end up in Dragon Army, something Colonel Graff would never have allowed in the book. Nonetheless, Ender, Petra, Alai, and Bean are all portrayed well, which is more than can be said about one of the characters.

Bonzo de Madrid is completely miscast in this movie, which ruins almost all of the scenes in which he's involved.

The thing that I hated the most, though about this film is their stripping of the roles of Peter and Valentine. Valentine and Peter, and Demosthenes and Locke, have one of the ongoing storylines in the book. They manipulate world politics and involve themselves in an impeding war with Russian Empire. This storyline serves as a complex development to both Valentine and Peter's characters, a change in the separated siblings character as opposed to their perception of one another, a commentary on becoming who you pretend to be, a political argument about the nature of the mob, an example of bad motivation leading to a positive result, an analysis of child prodigy, a view of parental and sibling relationships and how they develop over the years, and my favorite part of the book. Naturally, the filmmakers chose that NONE of this had ANY place in a Hollywood blockbuster, and cut ALL OF IT. It also robbed us of the drama of Ender's fear of becoming Peter, as Peter is on screen for all of FIVE MINUTES, so we don't know him as the audience.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Hollywood took something that was thought-provoking and clever, and made it into a marketable Hollywood blockbuster. All in all, I think it has some merit (Harrison Ford!), but fails to reach anywhere remotely near the novel's impact.…Expand

Worst book to movie adaptation I've ever seen. I guess if you haven't read the book you have a much better time of enjoying it, but they thoroughly butchered it that's for sure. Easily should have been a 3+ hour movie so much is rushed through terribly. And what is with all the random alterations to some scenes that added zero to the storyline? So dumb.

Disappointing after reading the splendid written book! Watching the movie, I've felt like they've just gone from one milestone to the other, while adding some trendy 'mushy feeling'. And the end... oh, they've altered it! No spoilers, but the book is so much better, it was frustrating watching the movie.

I've read the book and was deeply disappointed on what the movie decided to focus on. Ender was a complete badass and that wasn't captured at all in the film. He was so ridiculously good that the rules were changed constantly to be at his disadvantage, but he still won every game (there were hundreds of games, but the movie didn't mention this either). I realize that the movie had to leaveI've read the book and was deeply disappointed on what the movie decided to focus on. Ender was a complete badass and that wasn't captured at all in the film. He was so ridiculously good that the rules were changed constantly to be at his disadvantage, but he still won every game (there were hundreds of games, but the movie didn't mention this either). I realize that the movie had to leave some stuff out, but if you don't have an intriguing protagonist, you have nothing. Asa Butterfield just didn't seem like Ender. He was feared by everyone in the book, but again the movie did not give that vibe. Some other things that bothered me were Locke and Demosthenes being completely left out (that's half of the entire plot in the book), the extremely boring dialogue, and just the lack of heart in the entire film. It took itself WAY too seriously and it was really hard for me to care about any of the characters. The only positive I could take away from it was how it looked, now complaints there.…Expand

This move is a shining example of how to take a book, and turn it into a movie. A director put in charge of moving the creative vision of a writer from the printed word to the visual medium of the big screen has to be very careful not to change the emotional content of the story, while being willing to change the sequence, action, and dialog in order for the story to make a good movie.This move is a shining example of how to take a book, and turn it into a movie. A director put in charge of moving the creative vision of a writer from the printed word to the visual medium of the big screen has to be very careful not to change the emotional content of the story, while being willing to change the sequence, action, and dialog in order for the story to make a good movie. Ender's Game was the height of this art, provoking the same power emotions as the book, staying true to the heart of the characters, all the while taking a complex plot and distilling it down into a 2 hour movie. Well done, sirs, I salute you.…Expand

This movie has little to no emotion. the complex emotional ties between Ender and his colleagues were so glossed over it fails to draw you in. There were so few battle room battle and explanations for the genius that runs in his family as well. Glaring plot holes and a complete lack of emotion is why I gave such a negative review. The effects were amazing though and that is the only reasonThis movie has little to no emotion. the complex emotional ties between Ender and his colleagues were so glossed over it fails to draw you in. There were so few battle room battle and explanations for the genius that runs in his family as well. Glaring plot holes and a complete lack of emotion is why I gave such a negative review. The effects were amazing though and that is the only reason worth watching this dumbed down movie adaption.…Expand

This movie is a failure on nearly every level. If you haven't read the book, you'll have no idea what's happening as it skips along the plot and crashes into scenes like a bumper car on an ice rink. If you have read the book, you'll know what's going on and hate it for what the movie's doing with the plot.

Isolating it from the book still leaves it as a failure of a movie. There is noThis movie is a failure on nearly every level. If you haven't read the book, you'll have no idea what's happening as it skips along the plot and crashes into scenes like a bumper car on an ice rink. If you have read the book, you'll know what's going on and hate it for what the movie's doing with the plot.

Isolating it from the book still leaves it as a failure of a movie. There is no character development, even Ender's is minor at best. The rest of the characters are basically stock foils with names and have barely any interaction with other "characters" in order to create any sort of connection with the audience.…Expand

How sad to see Harrison Ford reduced to playing in this sci-fi "game" that's obviously aimed at 10 year-olds or people who have stopped development at 10 years of age. Will be a big hit with game players who see the world as a place where video rules and reality, characters, interaction, mentality, and yes, even creativity, aren't essential. The sad thing is that the popularity of filmsHow sad to see Harrison Ford reduced to playing in this sci-fi "game" that's obviously aimed at 10 year-olds or people who have stopped development at 10 years of age. Will be a big hit with game players who see the world as a place where video rules and reality, characters, interaction, mentality, and yes, even creativity, aren't essential. The sad thing is that the popularity of films like this is proof positive that the human race is really on track to destory itself (no outsiders needed!)…Expand

Movie tries to be as close as possible to the book, and fails. Book is about psychology, character development, and tactics, which does not translate well to an action movie, especially if there's a lot of it. And without reading the book first, I doubt you'd understand half of what's going on there.

Really bad. Plot filled with glaring holes, pointless and completely unjustified twists, and no character arcs to speak of. Action is at best slightly enjoyable, at worst absolutely ridiculous looking. Acting is universally bland and disappointing. Characters do things for seemingly no reason, and then stop acting a certain way with no explanation. Over all, a waste of your time.

The vast majority of fans of the book are well into their 30s by now, but for some reason they decided to make this film for teens. What a pile of crap. This film has the emotional subtly of being hit over the head with a brick, and lacks all of the honesty of the book. Plus they cut out a huge part of the book. Why did they do all of this??? For the same reason they do everything...The vast majority of fans of the book are well into their 30s by now, but for some reason they decided to make this film for teens. What a pile of crap. This film has the emotional subtly of being hit over the head with a brick, and lacks all of the honesty of the book. Plus they cut out a huge part of the book. Why did they do all of this??? For the same reason they do everything... Money!!! So despite the fact that they made a pile of crap they got a lot of money for their pile of crap so they are happy. As for us adult viewers, who were fans of the book, and require some depth to our stories and characters, we are just **** out of luck. Glad I didn't pay to watch it in theaters. They didn't get a dime from me!…Expand

Enders Game was by no stretch a terrible film. However, it could have been made much better. All of the characters in the tim seemed a bit lifeless, including Asa Butterfield (who plays Ender), who did not seem fit for the protagonist role. Along with the poor casting decisions, the plot that made the original book so critically acclaimed was completely changed, including the entire endingEnders Game was by no stretch a terrible film. However, it could have been made much better. All of the characters in the tim seemed a bit lifeless, including Asa Butterfield (who plays Ender), who did not seem fit for the protagonist role. Along with the poor casting decisions, the plot that made the original book so critically acclaimed was completely changed, including the entire ending of the film! That did not make me happy at all.
While there are many things wrong with this film, the one thing that they got right were the SFX, which were bright and engaging.
In the end, this movie could have been made much better if it were not for the poor casting choices and different plot.…Expand

this movie adaptation is to awkward to watch really lead actor has no charisma to be a leader The weird shower scene is reminiscent of prison rape. the aliens though not the main focus of the story could have been focused on more. Ender's brother and sister have no story and in the book they were main characters to.

I has excited to see this movie, and I got to say it did come close to my expectations. The only thing though is that the movie missed out on lots of important things that made the book good. Other than that, I loved it.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
A lot of surface structure, but no heart. In the end, bedazzling graphical scenes took front seat to capturing the depth and conflict the majority of the characters in the book go through. There are quite a few of the book's characters present, but really, just a hollow shell of what made them lovable throughout the series. The 2 most important characters were severely reduced; Ender and Graff. This movie failed to capture any of the depth that is Edner Wiggin. Graff went from a very complex and morally conflicted character to a soulless bureaucrat who's only interest is results.

Locke and Demosthenes were completely eradicated from the story, and Peter was only present for 4 minutes of the film.

A 4 year story was reduced to just over a month, which was impossible to follow at the brisk pace the movie moved at. Years of battleroom competitions condensed into 2 battles, the second demonstrating abilities of a well-oiled machine that doesn't make any sense considering half the competitors had never set foot in an actual battle.

In all, it just felt completely rushed, and void of depth. The battleroom sequences were awkward at best,. The Bonzo-Ender confrontation felt completely weird, and the majority of inter-character relationships were cardboard cutouts as plot devices.

I understand that a majority of things are lost in translation when brought to the screen, but there ARE adaptations that were well done (LotR, Interview with the Vampire, and even Hunger Games).

After waiting 17 years for this to come to life, it left a lot to be desired for. Those who enjoy action sci-fi, and not looking for a deeper meaning will enjoy the flick. But, anyone who is intimately familiar with the book and are looking for any resemblance beyond sequence of events and a couple peppered in characters will likely leave the theater feeling disappointed.…Expand

First, I am a huge fan of Ender's Game, the book. It's an insightful and meaningful look at the mind of a gifted kid, with deep social and psychological commentary. Anyone who grew up "gifted" can relate to the isolation and otherness, the self doubt and fear, Ender feels throughout. The book meant a LOT to a lot of people, and whoever wrote this screenplay clearly did not understandFirst, I am a huge fan of Ender's Game, the book. It's an insightful and meaningful look at the mind of a gifted kid, with deep social and psychological commentary. Anyone who grew up "gifted" can relate to the isolation and otherness, the self doubt and fear, Ender feels throughout. The book meant a LOT to a lot of people, and whoever wrote this screenplay clearly did not understand it.

They turn ender into a totally unlikable Mary Jane character who advances through the movie with no motivation, is pushed through ranks for no reason whatsoever, and somehow inspires loyalty in random people by doing approximately nothing, all while being a violent, irritating prick with no empathy for those around him.

The changes to the plot are nonsensical, things were changed for no reason. Worse, some of them ignore reality (for instance, the command school being in another solar system if that were the way it was in the books, Valentine would have been old and the fleets would have been long past their destinations, as there is no FTL travel). They ruined the mind game. They made great characters flat as hell.

Long story short, the lost the message, the characters, everything great about the book and gave us a crappy, generic piece of science fiction. Avoid this movie if the book means anything to you.…Collapse

Ugh. Lots of pretty trinkets and flashes. For those who haven't read the books the movie lacks depth, character or substance. For those who have read the book the just seems to be a series of disconnected pull quotes with nothing connecting them. My thoughts as the final credits began to flash were I would be embarrassed for my name to be shown along side this piece of trash.

As a fan of Enders Game the series I went in with low expectations expecting stuff to change slightly and things to be cut out. But this film cut out the wrong parts leaves you feeling like someone shoved a novel down your throat by force. The film fails to explain crucial information the friends I went to see the movie with said they were confused and it left me to explain. Why does heAs a fan of Enders Game the series I went in with low expectations expecting stuff to change slightly and things to be cut out. But this film cut out the wrong parts leaves you feeling like someone shoved a novel down your throat by force. The film fails to explain crucial information the friends I went to see the movie with said they were confused and it left me to explain. Why does he keep talking to his sister? Why did that kid just say salam alaikum? Why didn't he kiss that girl? They tried too much if they left out a bunch it would have been better.

That being said I liked the visuals the character choices were fine with me it's just I feel you miss the point of Enders Game. Hopefully this makes people pick up the books and read them.

I tried to view this movie in a neutral way, attempting to see it as a story independent from its author, but I couldn't. It was impossible to take the movie's moralizing on the nature of humanity, when the author is an evil, disgusting bigot who openly hates people and advocated for their legal oppression. The author says that people who do not hate gays are like Hitler (ironic...be aI tried to view this movie in a neutral way, attempting to see it as a story independent from its author, but I couldn't. It was impossible to take the movie's moralizing on the nature of humanity, when the author is an evil, disgusting bigot who openly hates people and advocated for their legal oppression. The author says that people who do not hate gays are like Hitler (ironic...be a bigot, or you're acting like the biggest bigot in World History?). when I view the movie, all I can think is...these are the heroes of an evil man, from the mind of a hateful, vile person. It ruined the movie for me. I may not even be able to look at Harrison Ford the same way ever again. Sad, that Sci-fi had to be corrupted this way.…Expand

I am a huge fan of the book. This movie by itself might get an alright score from me but since this is based on a good and deep book this movie must be judged more harshly. This movie rushes through key points in the books and skips most important moments. The movie fails completely to show the audience the emotions and thoughts of characters that make the book so amazing. The movie alsoI am a huge fan of the book. This movie by itself might get an alright score from me but since this is based on a good and deep book this movie must be judged more harshly. This movie rushes through key points in the books and skips most important moments. The movie fails completely to show the audience the emotions and thoughts of characters that make the book so amazing. The movie also ignores Enders slow descent into madness and doesn't show the hardships endured by nearly every character. They would've been better off just calling this an entirely different movie. This movie is horrible when put beside the book, I've never wrote a review but this movie was so bad and disgraced the book so much i had to immediately write this review.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
All i have to say is PLOT HOLES, PLOT HOLES, PLOT HOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are so many lazy short cuts taken in this movie, like throwing random voice overs in to deliver story.

I knew they were going to change some things from the book but damn, they destroyed this story. First off, they made Ender a whiney little made Anderson a woman, completely changed the beginning of the story, they turned Peter into a whiney about how he wasn't chosen, they just throw in random ass dialogue trying to explain the giant plot holes they kinda skipped Holy this is terrible who's idea was it to say "lets put Bean on the same shuttle as Ender and skip like 3 years of the story", Dap is a complete apparently instead of the "mom" he was supposed to be in the novel, apparently they are studying Mazer, oh the battle room guns apparently freeze you even outside the battleroom, dont even get me started on the battle room and the stars, LMFAO apparently the enemies gate is down?!! when they dont even know about the game or what the damn guns do! Apparently Bernard and Alia aren't friends, Shen doesn't exist in the movie, neither does Locke or Demosthenes, Ender is apparently some wise ass who talks back to the commanders.... ok so i just turned the movie off at the Giants Drink part... this movie is just to terrible to watch anymore…Expand

How can such an empty and flat film for children be PG13?! Who, who is not a child, can enjoy such bad film?! Although thinking twice, children can be quite smart and discerning who can then enjoy this?!

So cheesy. The acting is like throw up. I could not stay interested. Fell asleep after 40 minutes. It might have gotten good after that. But for that first hour minutes the dialogue/ script, the acting, were of the lowest quality. People don't talk like that...at all. To me, good sci-fi is like Minority Report, Back to the Future, Alien & Prometheus, Even Horizon, Safety Not Guaranteed,So cheesy. The acting is like throw up. I could not stay interested. Fell asleep after 40 minutes. It might have gotten good after that. But for that first hour minutes the dialogue/ script, the acting, were of the lowest quality. People don't talk like that...at all. To me, good sci-fi is like Minority Report, Back to the Future, Alien & Prometheus, Even Horizon, Safety Not Guaranteed, District 9, Empire Strikes Back, AI, even Tron Legacy. I know the book was legendary, so I'm pretty disappointed they squandered the brilliance of the source material. If you liked the movies I listed, we have similar taste...Avoid wasting your time with this non-entertaining movie.…Expand

Initially, I set the bar pretty low assuming this was adapted as children's film and I'm glad I was surprised. The film had a a great VFX Supervisor but not a great director. Despite the fact that most will watch this film because Harrison Ford's in it (and this role really suits him great), the lead actor had no screen presence nor any charisma whatsoever. Rule #1 in casting: the audienceInitially, I set the bar pretty low assuming this was adapted as children's film and I'm glad I was surprised. The film had a a great VFX Supervisor but not a great director. Despite the fact that most will watch this film because Harrison Ford's in it (and this role really suits him great), the lead actor had no screen presence nor any charisma whatsoever. Rule #1 in casting: the audience must always be engaged and captivated by your lead actor. Asa Butterfield was nowhere close to that, although he acted well enough...Director Gavin Wood and the producers' team should be the ones to blame here since they repeated the same one-dimensional plot with most sci-fi films and lacked an original presentation and connection. Overall though, this is an amazing spectacle to watch, but nothing more...…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
I loved the book and of course knew the movie would be drastically different. However, in my humble opinion, they missed a lot of what made the book great. Character development for Peter and Valentine and their relationship with Ender was very light and those characters are crucial to understanding why Ender is perfect. The personas that Peter and Valentine take on in the online world were not even touched on. The plot felt rushed. The dynamics of the world were not well established... I feel like if you didn't read the book, you would be COMPLETELY lost.

Which takes me to my next point... it seemed like they were trying to please both a core and mass audience and in doing so, achieved neither.

With my griping out of the way, the movie did have its merits. Absolutely visually stunning space looks beautiful. Ender and Graff were well portrayed. The action scenes were great. And the battles at Battle School, which were tough for me to visualize while reading, were executed very well.

All that together makes for a pretty average movie. Nothing to look twice at, but maybe worth seeing if you read the book.…Expand

For any film fanatic that also happens to be an Orson Scott Card fan, Ender’s Game was the type of film that warranted the hanging of a calendar on the wall and blacking out the days until the film's November 1st release date. I was this excited for months about the film, and yes, I saw it opening night. But after having seen it, I say with dismay that although the admission may not haveFor any film fanatic that also happens to be an Orson Scott Card fan, Ender’s Game was the type of film that warranted the hanging of a calendar on the wall and blacking out the days until the film's November 1st release date. I was this excited for months about the film, and yes, I saw it opening night. But after having seen it, I say with dismay that although the admission may not have been a total waste of money, it may have been better spent on a few drinks at a bar, or on a Shake Shack dinner (for the non- drinkers). I was just so unexpectedly un-enthralled that I’m still in shock.

The film opens with Ender Wiggin as his parent’s third child in a world where thirds are not highly regarded, yet a prestigious military school’s administrators monitor Ender’s life via hidden cameras, and through this observation witness the potential genius within Ender. But whatever they notice, it is not shown to the audience.

Nonetheless Ender leaves his family behind to study at this elite training school where plans are secretly being made; Ender will train to become the next great commander of the Earth fleet. While at battle school Ender meets the legendary Mazer Rackham, a famous Maori warrior whom singlehandedly defeated the aliens previously, when they attacked Earth. Rackham’s job now is to mentor Ender, to prepare him for the greatest battle of his life.

Director Hood’s rendition of Ender’s Game does just adequate justice to the original plot of the book. I pined for a grittier, R-rated Prometheus or District 9-ish kind of rendition, and instead I got something related more to Will Smith’s Independence Day.

There were no gaps left in the timeline of the film, gaps necessary to explain how Ender could possibly have become a fleet commander at all. As Director Hood portrays it, the audience sees Ender go from cadet to commander overnight, almost literally. No human past, present, or future, (not even Ender) could pull that off.

Blasé scenes are followed by descriptions of grandeur that made me wonder if I had just watched the same scene as the military commanders. In front of a group of new recruits Ender is praised by Officer Graff (Harrison Ford) for his intelligence, a set-up for later peer torment? But the intelligence Ender shows here is hardly praiseworthy. It’s just a smart-alecky remark about zero gravity. Later, when Ender is confronted by a gang of boys, whom he ends up defeating, the fight is not convincing, yet again, administrators swoon. This type of device, apathetic scene followed by glorious praise occurs over and over throughout the film. Descriptions of awe are purveyed when no actual awe has taken place.

Asa Butterfield's unmoving performance is largely responsible for the film’s failure. He is not a convincing Ender, and so all his examples of greatness seem staged. Every time Ender does something “miraculous” and is praised for it, it’s reminiscent of the medieval age; a king’s steward dolloping out praise at every instance to keep his majesty satisfied. Harrison Ford is also pretty terrible. Come to think of it, pretty much all the acting, except Ben Kinglsey’s is bad.

Errata: Ender spends significant amounts of time whining about the administration blocking his email account. What does this have to do with the plot? Nothing. Since when do starships send and receive email? They don’t. There’s ansible technology in this world people! (machines capable of instantaneous or superluminal communication) Starships are way past “email.”

Overall, I’d say Ender’s Game was only kind of bad, but it so totally not awesome.

PS- I love that some people have rated this film as a zero. That is awesome!…Expand

Great adaptation, very loyal to the original material.
I simply loved it. I am a big fan of the book and was really scared about the adaptation going really bad.
After 5 minutes I realized I had no reason to be afraid.
The movie is amazing. That was the general opinion of the friends who watched with me and hadn't read the book. My friend said: I had no expectations whatsoever for thisGreat adaptation, very loyal to the original material.
I simply loved it. I am a big fan of the book and was really scared about the adaptation going really bad.
After 5 minutes I realized I had no reason to be afraid.
The movie is amazing. That was the general opinion of the friends who watched with me and hadn't read the book. My friend said: I had no expectations whatsoever for this movie and it was awesome!
I agree entirely.…Expand

Dull, uninspiring and poorly acted are some of the words that come to mind after seeing Ender's Game. I skipped through the last 50 minutes or so to get to the highlights as this movie just drones on and on forever without really going any where. Great CGI, though. Absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, unlike Pacific Rim, it doesn't make up for the rest of the movie. Child actors areDull, uninspiring and poorly acted are some of the words that come to mind after seeing Ender's Game. I skipped through the last 50 minutes or so to get to the highlights as this movie just drones on and on forever without really going any where. Great CGI, though. Absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, unlike Pacific Rim, it doesn't make up for the rest of the movie. Child actors are dangerous ground, they're often annoying or simply unbelievable and unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to Elder's Game. The kids are annoying and they're unbelievable. However, the latter is also down to the poor writing.

I learnt, while surfing IMDB out of boredom while awtching, that the movie is based on a book (which I have never read) and that there are several irregularities. For example, the character "Bonzo" is supposed to be much taller than Ender yet he is much smaller than Ender in the movie. It's one of those discrepancies that make me believe the book makes a lot more sense than the movie and that this train-wreck is down to the director's poor translating of said book onto the silver screen.

Also; who thought it would be a good idea to glorify child soldiers and genocide this day and age? If this movie had any sort of social commentary, it was nullified by poor delivery.

I'd like to draw comparisons to the amazing "The Last Starfighter" which does everything this movie does without the CGI and hints of child slavery and genocide but with humour and bravado.

I think Ender's Game should've been releasing next year, but since the movie already released it misses the target. I felt that the story is far short (although I love Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield's performance) and just like any YA-wannabe novels like Eragon or The Golden Compass, they don't have a single amount of audience that you want in a entertaining but flawed sci-fi movie. II think Ender's Game should've been releasing next year, but since the movie already released it misses the target. I felt that the story is far short (although I love Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield's performance) and just like any YA-wannabe novels like Eragon or The Golden Compass, they don't have a single amount of audience that you want in a entertaining but flawed sci-fi movie. I don't know why Ender's Game was going to be released November because The Hunger Games: Catching Fire just released on the same month and by the way, Catching Fire breaks box office records, Ender's, however, not so much. I'm afraid there's no other choice than to cancel a sequel to some thought that Ender's Game could be a bigger hit. But then again, I think they must think about their mistakes in the first film. There's no future in Ender's Game and it's another big disappointment of 2013.…Expand

Can I start off by saying that this movie is not homophobic or anti-gay and that that is only the writer of the book Orson Scott Card (dick).
The director of that badly written CGI fest X-Men Origins Wolverine sets out to make the movie of the complex book which predicted things such as the internet, gaming and e-mail, he does it surprisingly well.
Asa Butterfield is perfectly cast asCan I start off by saying that this movie is not homophobic or anti-gay and that that is only the writer of the book Orson Scott Card (dick).
The director of that badly written CGI fest X-Men Origins Wolverine sets out to make the movie of the complex book which predicted things such as the internet, gaming and e-mail, he does it surprisingly well.
Asa Butterfield is perfectly cast as Ender and really makes the role his own, Harrison Ford is awesome (need I say more) and all of the supporting cast who make up Enders dragon army are brilliant also. Something which took me by surprise was the quality of the CGI in the space scenes. It was really good. I have not yet seen Gravity, so I won't say it's the best of the year. But it's definitely near the top of the list. However the best thing about the movie by far is the twist within the last 20 minutes (WHICH I WILL NOT REVEAL), but really took me by surprise. I am assuming that the twist was in the book and if I had read that first maybe it would not have been so effective. But I didn't read the book first, so the twist was totally unexpected and very very clever.
The first thing which started to ruin the movie was the ending which is not satisfying, and while I understand it now, it was difficult to interpret while the credits were rolling. The last shot is stolen from Avatar too. Also in contrast to many other movies, where he has been absolutely amazing, Ben Kingsley's performance is not all that good. He fits his character, but changes personality and even worse changes accent, which is one of the biggest sins possible for an actor to commit. Although the main problem with Enders Game, is too many unintentionally funny scenes (the same problem Gavin Hood had in X-Men Origins Wolverine). The clichéd bully gets embarrassed scenes, grin inspiring voice breaks from Asa Butterfield and laugh out loud hilarious first appearance of Ben Kingsley are just some of the unforgettable comedy moments in the movie.
Overall Enders Game failed to be the science fiction epic that Orson Scott Card's (dick) novel was, but does succeed at being an intelligent science fiction fantasy for kids and I found that movie perfectly enjoyable.…Expand

This movie had a few differences from the book. It didn't follow some characters as much as the book. But just like the LOTR's and Narnia movies, its part of the process. Making a long book to one movie is a difficult challenge. The movie without the book is a very good movie that has one wondering what's going to happen next. Only to have one of the most original twists of all time.

yes, the book is better.... but i think that this movie is one of the best adaptation that i ever seen. guys, please, don't "critic" the movie if you don't know anything about the book! you look like core less ships! ah! yes! i'm a spaceship!

When this film becomes available for home viewing it will likely lead many teens and adults to read the imaginative 1980s novel that it was based upon. The film depicts some of the ideas and scenes from the novel in interesting ways. The child actors were quite good in their abbreviated roles. The film is relatively brief in comparison to the story it was based upon. The productionWhen this film becomes available for home viewing it will likely lead many teens and adults to read the imaginative 1980s novel that it was based upon. The film depicts some of the ideas and scenes from the novel in interesting ways. The child actors were quite good in their abbreviated roles. The film is relatively brief in comparison to the story it was based upon. The production quality of this film is high.…Expand

Rarely my children and I agree but this was one it was good, the movie as well as the representation of the book very impressed they did not butcher it especially since I read this back in high school in the 80's and had my kids read it when they were in elementary school about 7 years ago. I hope they come out with the sequel (speaker of the dead) it will be interesting to see if theyRarely my children and I agree but this was one it was good, the movie as well as the representation of the book very impressed they did not butcher it especially since I read this back in high school in the 80's and had my kids read it when they were in elementary school about 7 years ago. I hope they come out with the sequel (speaker of the dead) it will be interesting to see if they continue to be true to the context.…Expand

Ender’s Game vacillates between grand, sweeping space vistas and tight, penetrating close ups, mostly on Butterfield’s steely gaze. If you’re into meticulously rendered computer generated space, well then, a good 60% of Ender’s Game is for you. And if you’re by chance also into moral grey areas concerning the mental manipulation of children in war, then a minute percentage of screen timeEnder’s Game vacillates between grand, sweeping space vistas and tight, penetrating close ups, mostly on Butterfield’s steely gaze. If you’re into meticulously rendered computer generated space, well then, a good 60% of Ender’s Game is for you. And if you’re by chance also into moral grey areas concerning the mental manipulation of children in war, then a minute percentage of screen time will work for you as well. But in the end, the film struggles to condense too much material into a two-hour run time. The book spanned six years, while the film packs all that into just about one year. With that much emotional ground to cover and a plot punctuated by long, computer-generated battle sequences, the story suffers from a lack of a sense of urgency and some seemingly forced character growth. Not even Sir Ben Kingsley as the legendary General Mazer Rackham could lend enough gravity to a story that very nearly gets lost in space.…Expand

I have never seen a bigger disgrace to any book in my life, and by far one of the most boring movies ive seen in years. How can you destroy a book, AND the chance at making a good movie, in one go? Enders game can. If they just would have at least followed the story for 10% of the movie, i would have been happy.

The only thing the movie lacked really was great Character Development.. its pretty much a mash up of all the key elements of Ender's Game.. and they also dropped the idea of adding in Ender's Shadow.. I liked what I saw, and thought it was a good enough adaption from the book.. though someone who has not read the book I thought might be a little lost in what's happening when in the movie.The only thing the movie lacked really was great Character Development.. its pretty much a mash up of all the key elements of Ender's Game.. and they also dropped the idea of adding in Ender's Shadow.. I liked what I saw, and thought it was a good enough adaption from the book.. though someone who has not read the book I thought might be a little lost in what's happening when in the movie. However my girlfriend watched the movie with me and she has not read the book but still thought it was a good movie. I think they should have made it a 3 hour movie and kept everything they did.. but DEVELOP the characters more and give it a little filler.…Expand

Lifeless, lacking in heart, direction and character. Weak and pointless exposition. Not a good Sci-Fi film, falls into all the standard pitfalls. Falls into severe navel gazing and thoroughly unenjoyable.

As a fan of book, I knew I would come out of this movie a little disappointed. And I was right. Movie adaptions are never as good as the book. Period. The issue is always with the cutting out of material to make the movie more appealing to the average viewer. As I can understand most of the changes, I was not pleased with how the battle school was handled in the film. By the time EnderAs a fan of book, I knew I would come out of this movie a little disappointed. And I was right. Movie adaptions are never as good as the book. Period. The issue is always with the cutting out of material to make the movie more appealing to the average viewer. As I can understand most of the changes, I was not pleased with how the battle school was handled in the film. By the time Ender reached command school, I didn't feel like he was commander material. Too little time was spent developing his skills and demonstrating how his mind worked. Besides that, I thought the movie fared well, especially the ending which was handled fantastically. If I had not read the book, I would have enjoyed the movie more. But, like everyone always says, the book is always better than the movie.…Expand

It is always very difficult to cram a book into a movie, but luckily they chose to cut the correct bits for the most part here. I was happy to find that a vast amount of the dialogue was pulled directly from the book. With that said, if you haven't read the book, you'll probably misunderstand the tone of the movie.

This isn't another 120 minute 'save the cat' by the numbers film, likeIt is always very difficult to cram a book into a movie, but luckily they chose to cut the correct bits for the most part here. I was happy to find that a vast amount of the dialogue was pulled directly from the book. With that said, if you haven't read the book, you'll probably misunderstand the tone of the movie.

This isn't another 120 minute 'save the cat' by the numbers film, like so much is these days. It actually tries to live up to the book, and succeeds in some surprising ways. If you don't go into this thing expecting perfection, you'll have a good time.…Expand

First off this movie barely follows the book at all, it only had 1 or 2 scenes that where directly similar to the book, and believe me Ive read the book twice in the past 6 months, I have a list here of some of the changes, and while they might seem like little changes they were actually quite large.
1 Ender was 6 at theI just watched the movie and I just have to vent for a minute.

First off this movie barely follows the book at all, it only had 1 or 2 scenes that where directly similar to the book, and believe me Ive read the book twice in the past 6 months, I have a list here of some of the changes, and while they might seem like little changes they were actually quite large.
1 Ender was 6 at the begging of the book not 15
2 Enders school was just like normal school
it wasnt a military academy as portrayed
3 Enders sister was like 8 in the book not 16
4 Enders brother Peter was 12 not 23
5 Enders father was American Born in America
Not Russian born in Russia (Really why would you change that its stupid and only takes away from following the book)
6 Major Anderson was a MALE
7 There was only one girl in Battleschool
and her name was Petra
8 Bean came to Battleschool 2 years after Ender
9 Ender was never friends with Bernard and he
wasnt in Enders army and he didnt participate in
the final battle in fact Bernard wanted Ender dead
after Ender broke his arm
10 for some reason Bernard had 0 conflicts with
Enders and Shen just doesnt exist even though
he was Enders first friend and a Major importance
to the beginning plot (Another REALLY WHY THE HELL IS HE A PROTAGONIST)
11 Dink Meeker was a white Jew not Black he was
never in Salamander army he met Ender in rat army
12 Bonzo Madrid was 4 years older than Ender and
much much larger and stronger…. The fight scene
between them seemed like a joke compared to the
book scene where Ender kneed Bonzos nose into his brain
blood started gushing from it. He didnt even see him after that in the book but in the movie Enders personality is so distorted to that of a rebelious teenager whereas in the book he was a Very quite un rebellious boy. (AGAIN BONZA WAS 4 YEARS OLDER you already wanted to use older actors so why not use one for him, why dont you switch the actor that you used for Enders brothers for him)
13 seriously they made battle school only like 3 months long, Ender was in battleschool for like 6 years
14 Ender never emailed his sister nor did he want to, in fact he didnt actually want to see her again what a stupid change, it changed Enders entire character this is Fing rediculous at this point.
15 Petra was not Girly she was VERY AGRESSIVE, she did not have a love interest in Ender
16 ENDER NEVER LOST
17 Really the MD device is a lazer, and of course only one ship has it, and of course those ships are just drones, Fing rediculous, it almost makes the end battle seem like a joke because no one died whereas in the book all of those pilots had just sacrificed themselfs burning up in the atmosphere and actually detonated the MD device inside of their own ship THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD PART OF THE BOOK and it could have translated so well to the movie…
Really they just cut out 90% of the story and changed 99% of the rest, it is very loosly based on the book and if they had made a book based on the movie it probably wouldnt have even been published it was that bad.

I could go on for days but I cant it was just that bad, it was bad in the same areas as the Dragonball Evolution movie……Expand

The earth is threatened by an alien race and it's determined that young Earthlings are the best trainees for combat. Enter Ender, a unflinchingly serious boy, who rises thru the ranks. This movie takes place during the military training with much of the time spent as Ender endures bullies, outsmarts everyone and questions authority (especially a stern Harrison Ford). The futuristic look isThe earth is threatened by an alien race and it's determined that young Earthlings are the best trainees for combat. Enter Ender, a unflinchingly serious boy, who rises thru the ranks. This movie takes place during the military training with much of the time spent as Ender endures bullies, outsmarts everyone and questions authority (especially a stern Harrison Ford). The futuristic look is stainless-steel shiny and the effects are decent if unoriginal. Ironically, the fight sequences look like video games, but it's much more about drama than action. There are some non-traditional aspects that make it interesting, but it's not an exciting alien adventure.…Expand

While Ender's Game is a fantastic visual interpretation for fans of the book, new viewers may struggle to follow the plot and connect with the characters. That being said, this HAD to have been a difficult book to adapt and I don't know how it could have been improved in this medium without sacrificing the soul of the book. Hopefully we will get a sequel which can improve upon thisWhile Ender's Game is a fantastic visual interpretation for fans of the book, new viewers may struggle to follow the plot and connect with the characters. That being said, this HAD to have been a difficult book to adapt and I don't know how it could have been improved in this medium without sacrificing the soul of the book. Hopefully we will get a sequel which can improve upon this movies weaknesses and expand upon its strengths.…Expand

Not really sure why the critics were so hard on this, even that one guy giving a 0/100, that's kinda ridiculous. I've read the book, and loved it, and this movie is pretty faithful to the book, the only thing really different is Ender's siblings not having a big role like they do in the book, and the ending is slightly different. The movie may have benefited more if it was a 2 parter,Not really sure why the critics were so hard on this, even that one guy giving a 0/100, that's kinda ridiculous. I've read the book, and loved it, and this movie is pretty faithful to the book, the only thing really different is Ender's siblings not having a big role like they do in the book, and the ending is slightly different. The movie may have benefited more if it was a 2 parter, because the pacing in this is a bit off, things happen a bit too quick, but it's still an enjoyable movie. My dad, who has never read the book really enjoyed the movie as well.…Expand

The rough concept explanation (very rough) is "Harry Potter in space" gifted kids leaded by the most gifted one dealing with very serious adult problems. The movie has some breathtaking visual effects. Great actors like Ford and Kingsley, also Asa Butterfield aka Ender himself made a really decent job, bravo! As for the rest the movie seems to go forward too quick and I had a feeling thatThe rough concept explanation (very rough) is "Harry Potter in space" gifted kids leaded by the most gifted one dealing with very serious adult problems. The movie has some breathtaking visual effects. Great actors like Ford and Kingsley, also Asa Butterfield aka Ender himself made a really decent job, bravo! As for the rest the movie seems to go forward too quick and I had a feeling that it would be better to divide it into 2 parts at least to tell the whole story in a proper way. The other thing is the story is full of sci-fi cliches in story and characters, most of the story turns are very predictable. And I forgot to mention that the movie raises a couple of moral/ethic problems, but I won't spoil it to you. Overall, the movie is decent, not awesome, but still worth watching for everyone who loves Sci-Fi.…Expand

114 minutes felt like 1140 minutes. So Boring and so dull. A nearly bad popcorn flick that should have been released alongside After Earth. I really don't wanna say anything more about this movie, but Metacritic asks for at least 150 characters.

Interesting and refreshing sci fi picture with some great twists! Unfortunately there some missteps in the main plot as well as in presentation of the enemy! But overall it's engaging movie, with original concept

I have to say the film surprised me and did it's best to be very loyal to the book. Yes, some scenes just didn't make it, Hollywood these days really does seem to focus on 90-120 minute films. That said, good pacing, quality action, and some surprising acting chops from the younger generation. Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley are always solid...but this film was easy to enjoy fromI have to say the film surprised me and did it's best to be very loyal to the book. Yes, some scenes just didn't make it, Hollywood these days really does seem to focus on 90-120 minute films. That said, good pacing, quality action, and some surprising acting chops from the younger generation. Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley are always solid...but this film was easy to enjoy from beginning to end.

According to Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game," the story is about a young boy enters a big tournament in outer space. In this version, Gavin Hood (Tsotsi and X-Men Origins: Wolverine) have created his latest film about a brave young boy who enters a space military academy to defeat the alien colony in the galaxy. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is the chosen one who uses his gameAccording to Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game," the story is about a young boy enters a big tournament in outer space. In this version, Gavin Hood (Tsotsi and X-Men Origins: Wolverine) have created his latest film about a brave young boy who enters a space military academy to defeat the alien colony in the galaxy. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is the chosen one who uses his game techniques to defeat the aliens known as "The Buggers" and he was lead by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) who wants Ender to join the space military, so he can defeat the alien warship. In the space military, Ender is training at the huge battle room with his young crew and I would say that how spectacular where the boy was learned in space military in the 3D experience. Ender uses his skills to face those aliens in a big arena of space war and the movie takes a journey where we can see a boy can fight those aliens with his brave ability with emotions, flashbacks, and strong story. Ender's Game is a decent science fiction movie with big entertainment for young teens and children who have read by Mr. Scott Card's novel. The movie has some good acting including Butterfield and Ford, it has some spectacular effects where you can see on 3D, and clever story about a gifted boy can defeat those space invaders in outer space. It reminds me of playing a video game of Wing Commander III by 3DO in 90's.…Expand

I did not read the book, so I cannot comment on the comparison. I went into the film not knowing anything about the story. I thought the movie was compelling visually, but was unoriginal in the story which was too predictable. I'm also looking forward to the day that Hollywood stops creating alien beings that look like gigantic bugs. I also found the soundtrack annoying with the music thatI did not read the book, so I cannot comment on the comparison. I went into the film not knowing anything about the story. I thought the movie was compelling visually, but was unoriginal in the story which was too predictable. I'm also looking forward to the day that Hollywood stops creating alien beings that look like gigantic bugs. I also found the soundtrack annoying with the music that is constantly going on at all times. The acting was fine across the board, but the script needed beefing up so that I cared more about the characters.…Expand

I really enjoyed this movie. Considering how badly a novelization of this great book could have gone, this was a spectacular job well done. There was a lot of plot and a lot of character and a TON of heart packed into two hours, and it was pulled off surprisingly well. Considering the train wrecks that movie adaptations of bestsellers often turn out to be, Ender's Game was very true to theI really enjoyed this movie. Considering how badly a novelization of this great book could have gone, this was a spectacular job well done. There was a lot of plot and a lot of character and a TON of heart packed into two hours, and it was pulled off surprisingly well. Considering the train wrecks that movie adaptations of bestsellers often turn out to be, Ender's Game was very true to the book. My only criticism is that they dropped the Peter and Valentine subplot. It makes sense if they're not going to do any of the sequel movies, but I felt like Ender's siblings weren't really characters so much as objects to drive the plot.

Overall, my suggestion is, watch this KNOWING that you'll like the book better, and just enjoy it for what it is.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
Ender's Game, the novel, was thought provoking, philosophically deep, and psychologically amazing. Orson Scott Card brought characters to a level of connection between each other and the reader that few other authors can or will. He also has a wonderful insight to a future that could possibly take place and the minds of people living there.

Ender's Game, the movie brought all this to a 2 hour blockbuster hit that, quite frankly, didn't have anything blockbusting about it. Amazing ship design and man do I wish I could step into the command simulator, but other than that, it was a hollow shell of what it could have possibly been.

Ender didn't have anything special about him. In the novel he was a brilliant 6 year old boy who was a mix of Peter and Valentine, basically a critical and amazingly brutal tactical mind with the loving knowledge and understanding of the enemy. I can give them credit for attempting the bridge through dialogue but little else. In the movie, he was a 15 year old too susceptible to his emotions and nothing stunning about his thought processes.

Bean, while having a mind more brilliant yet less compassionate than Ender, so much so that they had an entire novel about him, was reduced to just another lackey. They might as well left him out for how much they changed him.

Graff, in the novel was a puppeteer mastermind pulling EVERY string behind battle school. In the movie, he's an overly militarized ****

Dap was the bridge between home and battle school, instead he was a drill instructor.

The story was compressed from a 6 year epic to a 1 year laughable story.

So much character development that was left out and changed that it's just another space thriller. The screen writers understood nothing about the book and characters to make this movie. I would rather seen this as a trilogy, including all the character development, thought processes, and reasons for why the characters do what they do than watched what I watched in the theater.…Expand

It is important for anyone that has read the book to understand that a lot of things have obviously been changed. As I was watching the movie I was flustered by how fast the storyline moved, spending a maximum of fifteen minutes on a section of the book that took 4 or 5 chapters normally. Certain major aspects of the book were changed such as the Demosthenes and Locke saga, and completelyIt is important for anyone that has read the book to understand that a lot of things have obviously been changed. As I was watching the movie I was flustered by how fast the storyline moved, spending a maximum of fifteen minutes on a section of the book that took 4 or 5 chapters normally. Certain major aspects of the book were changed such as the Demosthenes and Locke saga, and completely disregarding Beans brilliance.
For anyone who has not read the book, you might as well not see it unless you are a huge fan of sci-fi and would appreciate the fictional scientific developments that have previously not been seen in a sci-fi movie to this date. The acting was mediocre at best. The special effects were amazing. The cast was... Interesting. Overall, if your looking for a GOOD sci-fi movie to watch I recommend, Star Trek 1 or 2 or even renting an old Starwars movie!…Expand

Great science fiction movie. Great plot, great acting, terrific screenplay, great special effects. This is a science fiction movie for adults with a brain and a heart. I hope they make a sequel. It is much better than the star wars movies.

Never read the book, but I liked the movie. Not a classic by any means but I found it very watchable. Harrison Ford tries to dominate the screen time and almost breaks out into one of his snarly temper tantrums several times in this film. Ben Kingsley shows a melodramatic side in his zen master real guy routine. In a movie about military training it seemed like some of the reveals in thisNever read the book, but I liked the movie. Not a classic by any means but I found it very watchable. Harrison Ford tries to dominate the screen time and almost breaks out into one of his snarly temper tantrums several times in this film. Ben Kingsley shows a melodramatic side in his zen master real guy routine. In a movie about military training it seemed like some of the reveals in this movie should of been led by captain obvious. I like the parallels to today's society issues though well hidden in this story at just the right level where it is not pounding them down on you like some other recent sci dramas in recent years. I could certainly see this being a launch pad for some of the youngsters careers just don't expect any Oscar nominations for this one. Overall good cinema and its great to see old Han Solo get even older.…Expand

This was a brilliant film, very true to the material, well acted and very humble, just like the book.

Don't let the critics fool you. Critics nowadays are more interested in their pre-conceived "checklists" against which movies should be measured and have no interest in whether the movie was actually GOOD or not. Did you grow up with Ender's Game as one of your favorite novels? IfThis was a brilliant film, very true to the material, well acted and very humble, just like the book.

Don't let the critics fool you. Critics nowadays are more interested in their pre-conceived "checklists" against which movies should be measured and have no interest in whether the movie was actually GOOD or not. Did you grow up with Ender's Game as one of your favorite novels? If yes you will love the movie. If not I think you'll love it too but you might have different expectations that could possibly cloud your impressions of the movie.…Expand

I was concerned about what portions of the book were going to be kept and what parts were going to be thrown out. My fears were alleviated, as the movie trimmed the right portions of the story to keep the plot moving without being confusing.
No one can deny the visuals are fantastic. The film is simply gorgeous and was filmed without "shaky camera syndrome" as ILove love loved it.

I was concerned about what portions of the book were going to be kept and what parts were going to be thrown out. My fears were alleviated, as the movie trimmed the right portions of the story to keep the plot moving without being confusing.

No one can deny the visuals are fantastic. The film is simply gorgeous and was filmed without "shaky camera syndrome" as I like to call it that frequents movies with action these days.

The end of the film had me in tears. Just as moving as I remember in the book.

I think you can divide people's reactions into two camps. If you enjoyed the book, you'll like the movie. If you haven't read the book or didn't particularly care for the book, you might think it's... meh. But my hopes are that those of you who haven't read Ender's Game will fall in love with the plot of this film and develop a desire to read the book it's based upon.…Expand

This generic looking jumpsuit sci-fi is about gifted kids who are taken to fascist military school where they are manipulated into perfect war criminals and learn to solve their personal problems with violence. The visual effects are expensive looking but watching Ender play video games quickly gets old. The acting, at least by the adults, is woody and uninspiring. It is like StarshipThis generic looking jumpsuit sci-fi is about gifted kids who are taken to fascist military school where they are manipulated into perfect war criminals and learn to solve their personal problems with violence. The visual effects are expensive looking but watching Ender play video games quickly gets old. The acting, at least by the adults, is woody and uninspiring. It is like Starship Troopers for kids but without the sarcasm, I'm not sure that is the kind of movie I wanted my children to see.…Expand

I first read the book that this movie was based on. I have to say that the movie stayed true for majority of the book while I watched it. Its true that the movie was going a little quick for viewers to keep pace but I believe that the entire movie was great and I had a lot of fun with watching it. It was definitely worth the ticket price and I don't usually say that. All in all, if youI first read the book that this movie was based on. I have to say that the movie stayed true for majority of the book while I watched it. Its true that the movie was going a little quick for viewers to keep pace but I believe that the entire movie was great and I had a lot of fun with watching it. It was definitely worth the ticket price and I don't usually say that. All in all, if you are a fan of the series, then you will most certainly enjoy this movie but if you are not, then you will still enjoy it well enough to understand what is happening.…Expand

Very solid movie, and fears about casting were allayed, even Harrison Ford was very good. First hour was great, tight, good story telling. 2nd hour seemed more monotonous and left a few gaps in the character development, but overall very enjoyable movie.

"Ender's Game" may have some strange characterization issues sprinkled throughout, but thanks to some effective special effects and some morally complex ideas planted within its core, the film succeeds as a worthy piece of science-fiction entertainment.

Painfully slow, predictable and boring. Like watching a screen-saver or someone else playing wing-commander for two hours. Not recommended. Haven't read the book, but if it is anything like the movie it can't be very good.

Ender's Game is a fantastic Sci-Fi movie, one of the best this year in fact. Having never read the books I can only go on what I saw at the Cinema. The movie had a strong central cast, was paced well, was compelling and had a truly unexpected twist (providing you never read the books). All around a fantastic movie!

Swa this in IMAX. Good, but not great. Character development and more time/opportunity for audience investment as well as overall pacing could have been better. Visual effects were great, though most major films are nowadays. Acting was fairly good and for the most part convincing. Stays mostly true to the book. I wouldn't see it again but if you haven't seen it then I'd say go ahead and do so.

I don't care how is the book, but it's already based on the true storyline, all the effects and it's characters with those actors and actresses, there's nothing i can say but AMAZING. It just done very well.

This movie's (and book's) concept is staggeringly brilliant. The fact that some of these same critics rated Jackass:Grandpa higher than Ender's Game displays their stupidity and makes me wonder how these people got their jobs.

I really enjoyed the movie. Casting was very good, as was the acting. Special effects were great. Pretty true to the book Directing and editing were good. I think this is a good movie for age 10+. The little ones might not catch on to the deeper philosophical meaning, but might still be entertained. It's not gory, and there's no sex or profanity. Most fight scenes are in the context ofI really enjoyed the movie. Casting was very good, as was the acting. Special effects were great. Pretty true to the book Directing and editing were good. I think this is a good movie for age 10+. The little ones might not catch on to the deeper philosophical meaning, but might still be entertained. It's not gory, and there's no sex or profanity. Most fight scenes are in the context of games, albeit war games, and they do get intense. That said, my husband thought the movie was just OK, but he doesn't like science fiction much. Too bad. I still recommend it.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
I will start by saying that Ender's Game was a really good movie, maybe even great. The acting, especially by Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford, was flawless and the supporting cast, however underutilized, were phenomenal as well. The special effects were incredible and the story, supported by a fantastic score, was very well told. Honestly, this is truly one of those rare stories that both children and adults alike could really appreciate. There were some things I thought could've been improved on. There were some areas where time passed very quickly and if I hadn't read the book, I think I wouldn't been a bit confused. I think using some cinematic tricks for time lapsing quickly could've been used to create a better flow and make certain elements seem more genuine. To be honest though, as a stand alone film, that's all I really feel was flawed. Obviously it wasn't exactly like the book, nor did I expect it to be. It's just about impossible to condense an 8+ hour novel into a 2 hour movie. However, there were also some things that they altered from the source material that I didn't care for, I'll explain here:

***SPOILERS*** As I said, they had to cut some things out and most of it was fine. They eliminated some of the minor characters (like Shen and Crazy Tom and a few others) and also some of the development of the Battle School dynamic. Those cuts came across perfectly fine. They also skipped some of his progress in said school and to do so they altered the way he developed the Dragon Army. Again, this was done really well and stayed true to the spirit of the source material. This trend continued throughout the story arc. However, there were a few changes that I didn't like. The biggest thing (in terms of creating a void from the book) was the entire Valentine and Peter dynamic with Demosthenes and Locke. While I didn't expect that to have been included in detail, I would've liked some sort of mention of the goings on. Maybe she could've mentioned it briefly during their conversation at the lake. It didn't have to be explained much but it was a very critical element, not to the book necessarily but to the story later on. I think they could've found a way to touch on it. While on Valentine, the most glaring of the changes was the ending (again, this is a SPOILER). In the end, Ender sends Val a message saying he's left to explore the universe. There are a few issues with this. For one, Val is supposed to be with him. She is an integral part in the entire saga so if they plan on making this into a franchise, which supposedly they do, how are they going to get them back together? Also, his abrupt departure creates somewhat of a plot hole. Where is Ender going? In the book, he doesn't leave for over a decade, which allows for other colonies to begin on other planets. In the movie, however, no other planet is colonized, so again, where is he going? What they should've done was develop his relationship with Petra a bit less in order to include more development of his love for his sister, Val. Then he could've written her a letter stating that he planned on leaving at some point but still had some things to take care of where he was at, you know, politics. This would give time for her to write back telling him she's going to meet him there and they could then leave together whenever he was ready. It wouldn't have taken almost any additional time and it would've fixed two glaring issues. The others problems I had weren't as major but still bugged me a bit. The second to last battle at Command School was a failed mission in the movie, however, Ender NEVER loses in the book. He comes close during that mission but he does NOT lose. His genius feels somewhat affected by them making him lose that mission. Lastly, they changed Graff's character quite a bit. In the book, he is stern with Ender and at times a jerk but he truly loves the kid and would do anything for him. In the movie, they almost made Anderson the kind one and Graff a horrible person. I didn't care for that change at all.

Nonetheless, the movie was still great and I highly suggest anyone who enjoys science fiction, or just great movies in general, to check it out. In my opinion, it's definitely worth the price of entry.…Expand

Saw it last night and loved it! From what I remember it follows the book rather closely. I really enjoyed the acting. Asa and Harrison do a great job. Special effects were fantastic as well. Go see it!

W.C. Fields quote "“Never work with children or animals" is on point in this movie, though it did not ruin the entertainment value. The story of alien vs humanity is revisited somewhat reborn, this movie may interest you enough to pick up a book and read the series.

Although the movie cuts quite a bit from what's in the book, what's left is a great movie. I would have liked it split up like they're doing with the hobbit to allow for more story, but that might be difficult as the book mostly takes places in Enders head.

In being an avid fan of the Enderverse series and having been looking forward to the possibility of this movie for years, I must say, this was well worth the wait. Obviously, no movie adaptation can encompass the depth and volume of a novel, but Hood's media conversion does so elegantly and faithfully. The movie stays true to the narrative and storyline of the novel and does so in such aIn being an avid fan of the Enderverse series and having been looking forward to the possibility of this movie for years, I must say, this was well worth the wait. Obviously, no movie adaptation can encompass the depth and volume of a novel, but Hood's media conversion does so elegantly and faithfully. The movie stays true to the narrative and storyline of the novel and does so in such a way that chooses all of the right moments and dialogue that add up to make a very entertaining experience.

Overall, the acting, character portrayals, cinematography, CGI, score, and pace of the movie was high quality. This movie is worth seeing, especially if you are a fan of Sci-Fi, whether you've read the books or not. As a last note, I also got a good deal of Tron: Legacy vibes from the film, which to me, is a great thing!…Expand

Great movie. Very action-packed. Nice effects. Keeps moving forward without boring you. Nice twist at the end which saves the movie and makes what otherwise would be one of the worst movies...into one of the best.

Enders Game offers quite a bit within the confines of its runtime. What really sells it is the performances given and the level of quality from the CGI team involved with the film, who create believable settings of the future. I hadn't read the book beforehand, so my enjoyment may be more than other experiences. So, on its own merits, Enders Game ends up being one of the best Sci-FiEnders Game offers quite a bit within the confines of its runtime. What really sells it is the performances given and the level of quality from the CGI team involved with the film, who create believable settings of the future. I hadn't read the book beforehand, so my enjoyment may be more than other experiences. So, on its own merits, Enders Game ends up being one of the best Sci-Fi action films of the year and is worthy of more praise than some critics would care to offer.…Expand

Written during the peak anti-Soviet hysteria of the mid '80s, this book and movie still raise important questions for society to discuss. I hadn't read the book in 15 years but I remembered, while watching the movie, why I liked it (and I generally don't read Sci Fi). It's not just a good story about a boy's handling bullying, growing up, finding what makes a good leader, etc. ItWritten during the peak anti-Soviet hysteria of the mid '80s, this book and movie still raise important questions for society to discuss. I hadn't read the book in 15 years but I remembered, while watching the movie, why I liked it (and I generally don't read Sci Fi). It's not just a good story about a boy's handling bullying, growing up, finding what makes a good leader, etc. It also asks us to think about how quick we are to make enemies out of those perceived as different, and to fight rather than do the hard work of trying to understand and communicate, and whether or not it is right to take lives to theoretically deter a future war. For Card to raise those questions in the Reagan anti-Communist era was courageous. Also, the Battle Room was cool!…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
First to the critic, Joe Neumaier from New York Daily News, seriously? What are you a disgruntled CoD: Ghosts player reviewing BF4? A zero as in the movie has no redeeming qualities whatsoever? I hope you don't get paid for your reviews, because reading yours was as much of a waste of time as your score was based off your own review even. Back to the movie. A very good adaptation of the book, got it about 90% right. There were some major changes, there was no second invasion where Mazer is in space fighting them with a small reserve fleet--they went with him piloting a F-22 Raptor which makes no real sense, but still defeating the Formics in the same manner. In 50 years we went from F-22's to interstellar travel? They went way further out of the solar system than they should have (should have been on the asteroid Eros) for command school and compressed how he got the queen egg as well. They also only had one "little doctor" device, but plenty of other capable firepower. Not enough at all to say "they ruined it", but enough to go, why did they change it? Technical limitations are not the answer, I mean they cranked the CGI to MAXIMUM. It is a beautiful movie with amazing effects. So that is an unknown, why the changes that is. Regardless the movie still works and in some ways even better so with the emotional aspects of the story. I felt bad for Ender, really bad, and I have read the book once as a kid and a couple times as an adult. It plants the moral dilemma right in your lap. How do you deal with a bully? You beat them so bad they never even think about trying to hurt you again. How do you deal with an alien invasion fleet that you can't reason with, just as you can't a bully? You wipe them from existence. But at what cost? The complete wrecking of a child's mind? And as a person or a child defending against a bully by beating them so bad they never fight you again, what do you cost yourself? Is the permanent change in your personality worth it? Just as in the book, the film answers with a resounding yes. The enemy's gate is down, and he must be destroyed, because in the end it is your or them. Yet you are left with sympathy and pain for having to do it. "‘In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him." You love him yet you destroy them anyways. Having read the book, once the credits started me and my wife got up to leave. The crowd was not huge (3rd weekend playing, matinee, only about 25 of us) yet they seemed shell-shocked. No one besides us was moving, at all. Did they expect an extra scene? Well there weren't any to see and I don't think so. I think their brains were still trying to grasp the total destruction xenocide they witnessed and trying to process the moral dilemmas that Orson Scott Card masterfully presented in 1985. Which is also why this movie is not a "zero" as that idiotic critic rated it, but a very solid 9/10.…Expand

Much better than I was expecting. With it's story being focused on brains over brawn, and it being able to actually use it's brain, this manages to be a serious science-fiction movie that doesn't come off as pretentious. Which is something I believe the genre has struggled with in it's more recent movie ventures. It all succeeds thanks to it's likable lead and supporting cast. ObviouslyMuch better than I was expecting. With it's story being focused on brains over brawn, and it being able to actually use it's brain, this manages to be a serious science-fiction movie that doesn't come off as pretentious. Which is something I believe the genre has struggled with in it's more recent movie ventures. It all succeeds thanks to it's likable lead and supporting cast. Obviously though there are some pretty big issues. As almost always with movies that are based off books, there are some pretty important details missing. Details that would have otherwise made it easier to get fully invested in the movie. For instance what's up with the issue of a third child in the movies universe? It's mentioned that "a third" could be considered an embarrassment and you need permission to have one, but we are never told why. Also the obvious complexities with Ender's relationship with his various family members are never explored, which left me feeling like I was missing something throughout the entire movie. I imagine the book touches on these things, I do not know as I have not read it, but just keep in mind not everything is as well explained as it should be. This leaves the movie feeling flawed, but I still found it enjoyable. It's one I recommend that you give a shot.…Expand

Movie seemed a little rushed, trying to cram the whole story in under 2hrs, could have spent more time creating some character development. That being said it was a good movie and worth the price of admission.